Doctor of Confucian Philosophy

The Republic of Korea today strongly resembles the scene described by the Buddhist teaching of "An Su Jeong Deung" (岸樹井藤).

A person is chased by a fierce elephant and barely hangs onto a vine at the edge of a cliff. Below, poisonous snakes writhe, and above, white and black rats take turns gnawing at the vine. In the midst of this, the person is distracted by a drop of honey from a beehive on a branch above and foolishly tries to lick it. This depicts the state of foolish sentient beings.

The 250,000 won "livelihood recovery support fund" that the current Lee Jae-myung administration is distributing to the public is precisely that "drop of honey." The nation's coffers are depleted, and national debt has ballooned astronomically, yet the public is lost in fleeting pleasure, captivated by the immediate sweetness. This sweetness is not nourishment but poison that hastens ruin.

However, the Republic of Korea is repeating the folly of selling even its seeds, casting the seeds of hope into the market of greed. Thus, the lament "This is a 'seed-selling' world" is growing louder.

 Mencius said, "生於憂患 死於安樂" (Saeng-eo u-hwan sa-eo an-rak), meaning one is born from hardship and dies in comfort. Today, with Korea well-fed and warm, it is indulging in a "get-rich-quick" mentality of dividing the national wealth. Shameless populism makes fools of the people and ultimately leads the nation to bankruptcy.

Here, the author recalls the wisdom of life from his hometown of Jeju, the "Jo-nyang Spirit." The Jo-nyang Spirit is a life philosophy that dictates one must never eat the seed grains, no matter how hungry, but must preserve them. Amidst the wind, stones, and poverty, the people of Jeju practiced restraint of today's desires for the sake of tomorrow. But what about the Republic of Korea today? It consumes its seeds and even applauds itself for it. This is a rejection of the Jo-nyang Spirit and an act of the people themselves steering the national economy towards ruin.

This administration treats the national treasury as if it were personal pocket money, appointing a president with four prior convictions and a prime minister with five prior convictions, and even Kim Kyung-soo, who received a prison sentence for manipulating comments, to ministerial positions. On what ethical grounds are they operating the nation? How can the lament, "Those who sell even their seeds = those who sell their *ss" be considered excessive?

However, we cannot simply lament the situation as it is. As a righteous soldier defending the free market, I wish to make a proposal to the public.

That money you will receive anyway – do not spend it on aimless consumption. Instead, use it as seeds for the future. Through a book filled with moving insights, take the opportunity to reflect on where this nation should be heading.

I would like to recommend "Where Should the Republic of Korea Go?" (Compiled by Citizens Concerned About the Nation | Gwangjin Munhwasa, published July 30, 2024) (see photo). Its subtitle is "Be Wise for Myself · Understand Ideology · Understand Economics." This book serves as an essential civic primer for our times, becoming seeds of knowledge that can help awaken the nation for the price of a single cash coupon.

Let us gift this book to our acquaintances and family. In this way, let us leave behind proof for our descendants that "I tried to protect the seeds."

True livelihood recovery begins not with coupons but with productive investment and securing growth engines. The nation cannot be revived through handouts, and without labor reform, educational reform, deregulation, and increased R&D investment, the future of the Republic of Korea is bleak.

Whether the train we are currently riding is headed towards national ruin or prosperity is ultimately a choice the people make. The first step begins with awakening of the spirit, responsible consumption, and wise reading.

People of Korea, do not eat the seeds; let us plant knowledge. I earnestly appeal for you to realize that this is the minimum patriotism to save this nation and an act of fulfilling our responsibility to future generations. And let us lovingly pass on this message to our families and acquaintances.

Shin Baek-hoon, Righteous Soldier for the Free Market (Representative of Jeongik Hakdang, Doctor of Confucian Philosophy)

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